Politics not behind Goldman Papers’ defunding
Concerning “Emma Goldman: Still too hot to handle?” (Oct. 17): Comparing Candace Falk to Emma Goldman or Mark Twain is misleading. Both Twain and Goldman were prolific writers, and would never have spent 34 years on just three volumes.
And comparing the Twain Papers to the Goldman Papers doesn’t really hold water. First, the Twain Papers are original archival documents, while the Goldman Papers are primarily photocopies of documents held in archives elsewhere. Secondly, U.C. Berkeley made a carefully considered administrative decision to fund and support the Twain Papers at the outset, while the Goldman Papers just accidentally landed at the university, with no administrative consideration beforehand, and no statement of support.
Actually, it’s surprising that the university has stepped in repeatedly to fill in gaps in funding for this project. And it’s even more surprising that this project has gone on for 34 years, whereas few other documentary editing projects have taken more than a decade to complete.
Personally, I would love to see more scholarship on Goldman, whom I consider as important a historical figure as Twain. But I don’t expect U.C. Berkeley to foot the bill for a project that could stretch out for longer than Goldman’s entire life.
Howard Besser | Berkeley
Professor emeritus, UCLA Dept. of Library & Information Studies
‘Thanks, Rabbi Shelley’
I am not Jewish, but knowing Rabbi Shelley Waldenberg and having served in the U.S. Armed Forces in Europe myself, I have visited Dachau as well (“A chaplain’s Kaddish at Dachau renewed my faith,” Sept. 18). The gravity of the place is palpable. I was moved by this article and by the question all people of faith must confront when our experiences of life do not conform to our limited understanding of the divine. Thanks, Rabbi Shelley for this powerful and poignant reflection.
Walt Sears | Seattle
Racist headlines?
The article “In middle of night, 200 Jews move into Arab area of Jerusalem” (Oct. 10) and the page-one column “The Palestine I’d want to live next to”(Oct. 17) both share a unique sense of other-world reality. The former essay’s title indicates that J. headline-creators believe that there are certain areas on Earth where Jews have no right to live. If one were to replace the word “Jews” by “blacks,” would J. equally support the concept of places where “certain groups” have no right to live? Or would you simply call that racism?
In her column, the editor is wowed by a fantasy-world where nice, upscale housing singularly determines acceptability for Israel’s neighbors. There is one reality that was curiously ignored. The unity Arab government (Hamas-Fatah) of Gaza and Judea-Samaria includes nonnegotiable charter elements which include: 1) The complete destruction of the State of Israel and 2) the murder of every Jew on earth (and, dear Jewish reader, that means you — not just Jews in Israel).
Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaida and ISIS all espouse world dominion for Islam. ISIS has labeled the front door of Christians: Why? Convert or die!
Fred Korr | Oakland
Board membership unethical
In regard to the controversy surrounding the Koret Foundation, I believe that it is unethical for people to serve on boards of organizations that fund the nonprofits for which they work.
Ruth Nadel Schafran | San Anselmo
‘BDS is shameful’
Despite strongly disagreeing with several statements in his letter to the editor (“Port protest fights injustice,” Sept. 12), I want to thank Jim Haber for taking the time to share his letter about boycott, divestment and sanctions. BDS is shameful, especially for any Jew claiming to support Israel. Preventing a Zim ship from unloading its cargo in Oakland hurts the State of Israel’s economy, and both Jews and Arabs (Israeli citizens and non-alike) are deprived of employment when Israel cannot export and sell its products abroad.
The goal of BDS is precisely to destroy the Israeli economy. Even during the Holocaust, since Haber brought it up, Jews collaborated to the bitter end, being kapos (informers) and their actions were always justified by the perpetrators. There is absolutely nothing “Jewish” about BDS.
I share with Jim a family legacy of the Holocaust, also attending Jewish day schools where we learned how important it is to pursue justice, help other Jews have jobs and participate in making the Jewish people a strong and yet compassionate people. Anything can be justified. BDS is very bad for Israel and the Jewish community. Don’t support it.
Mordechai Pelta | San Francisco
‘National suicide not a Jewish value’
Some Jews go out of their way to denigrate the only Jewish state, the home for millions of refugees from anti-Semitism, whether from North Africa, Russia or Eastern Europe. They want legitimacy for their views as Jewish views. Nobody is stopping them from expressing their opinions, but that is not the issue. The issue is whether that speech needs to be under an umbrella of a Jewish organization (“Open Hillel confab takes on BDS, intellectual freedom,” Oct. 17).
Shall Hillels be open to Jews for Jesus or Jewish Holocaust deniers? Let’s not forget that the ultimate goal of the BDS movement is the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state. Jews can take this position, but that doesn’t mean that Jewish organizations need to support and legitimize that view.
It seems ironic that those Jews pushing BDS ignore the fact that if the shoe was on the other foot — Palestinians advocating for Israel — they most likely would be killed. They are entitled to these views as Americans, but national suicide is not a Jewish value and that is exactly what BDS is advocating: the end of the Jewish state.
Gil Stein | Aptos
Doctor’s generous gift to Israel
After coming across an article from 2011 on your website, I want to commend Dr. Eli Weil for his very generous gift of an ambulance to Israel in memory of his brother. What a beautiful way to bring honor to a loved one who has passed. We may not all be able to save a life on our own, but providing such a vehicle will ensure that many lives are saved. God bless you for what you have contributed! And may your idea spread to many seeking a way to help Israel!
Carol Shapiro | Rockaway, N.J.